The Portland daily press., 1887-03-10
CITY REPORTS.
Superintendent of Schools.

has been finished ON the third floor of
the Smaller sci. DOL house. The other three
rooms will soon be needed and can be finish
ed at a moderate expense. Four rooms, each
capable of seating 40 or 80 pupils have been
finished on the third floor of Chestnut street
school, and two are already in use. The ex-
pense of finishing the four rooms was $367.SS.
Good progress has been made ON the new
school house on Neal and Carroll streets.
There are still other repairs and modiica-
itions of old buildings needed. The super.
intendent agrees with the Mayor that new
school house Tor equivalent repairs on an old
one) shall be built each year until the school
wants are supplied. The new City Council
will first be asked to arrange for the proper
ventilation and heating Of the High sehosl
building.
The superintendent refers to the school
supplies that are furnished by the city in ac-
cordance with the Revised Statutes, and
thinks the little extra which the children
have to furnish could DC provided them
cheaper as school property If furnished by
the city rather than by the parents, and
thus as In Massachusetts, make all orr
schools entirely free. The extra expense to
the city would not exceed $500. In Massa-
chusetts the text books cost but rs cents per
capita on the number of pupils belonging.
The advantages will compensate for the ex-
pense.
Alarge quantity OF ianitors' supplies have
been furnished the school houses. The iani-
tors have done their work we'll, and except
In one orltwo instances In the High and Chest
nut schools, the rooms have been we'll
warmed; where they were not-and 1t was
the fault Of the steam arrangements-the
schools have been dismissed Mr.. fash
speaks highly of the care and attention TO
the school buildings shown by Mr. Sargent
the superintendent. The High school build
ing should be devoted to its uses, and re-
well If the Cumberland Street GrAmmsr
school could be located near Casco street.
The Crotch Island school has IS pupils nm
der Miss Pinkham. 1t has been run in a
room In a private house ON the island
Such progress has been made II Is
70 be hoped that Portland and Cum
Deriand Will erect a school building.
Children of fourteen years of age on the
island cannot write, spell or cipher. In re-
gard to the School for the Deaf the superin-
tendent gives the amount of State and CITY
aid and says there are so pupils belonging
70 the school, net gain of two over the
from the school for other work and three adj
mltted. The school has received a net in
crease OF hve pupils per year since it was
established In 1876.
PROGRESS OF THE SCHOOLS.
MI, Iash speaks encouragingly of the pro-
gress made by our schools. He considers
them in no wise inferior to the best schools
elsewhere. and rests this assertion not on his
own Judgment alone but others most compe-
tent to give an opinion. There are decided
improvements shown the past ten wears in
discipline, organization, methods of instruc-
tl0n'and study. We have better buildings
better teachers, more liberal appropriations
and fewer pupils per teacher. The school
attenaance last year was high. result pro-
duced by the cooperation of parents and
teachers and the exertions of Mr. Beal. the
truant officer. In regard to discipline the
superintendent says that teachers should be
persons of affairs should be persons of af-
fairs as well as of attachments. Bookworms
make poor teachers. If teachers will use the
power of experiment and Illustration. pre- re-
sent something noUel to the children, thew
Will interest them and draw them from play
and mischief, and the school will progress in
their studies. There has been less COM
plant OF undue severity last year than ever
Deiore. Inc schools OF the city work under
studies. A child of twelve does not have
laid upon 1t the burdens of man of TWENTY
fve
Il is one of the tendencies Of the graded
schools to magnify instruction beyond study
1t is easier to impart instruction to iifty mn
pills, and to interest them and thus gain their
attention. than it is to engross their attention
In diligent study. The former NAV be made
an interesting diversion, the latter is often
an irks0me duty The true teacher. howey-
err, Will regard the duty done as of inestima
bly, more value than mere pleasure Seemed.
When the child is mature enough for study.
II is only harm to divert him from is even
tor the purpose of instruction. When aclass
IS engaged in earnest study it Is often pain
1ui TO notice teacher interrupt this most
valuable school WORK for the purpose of i'm
parting some scrap OF information of little
Value perhaps and soon wisely forgotten
SUPPLEMENTARY INSTRUCTION.,
The true function of the public school is
subject of general discussion. Within what
limits shall public instruction be confined
seems to be at present vexed question. AS
cities have grown in size, and systems of
schools have become more extended, and as
the school year has become longer, the caps.
blllty OF city schools to give broader instruc-
ton mas Deen made an occasion for an en-
largement of the school curriculum.
Among the new studies now candidates for
popular recognition, and with great show of
reason, are Manual Training and Civics
Manual Irdiaing-In the last years report
THIS subject was treated at some length and
sources OF information on the subject were
pointed out. / will only add that this
Drsncn 81 study Is eting with popular ap-
we have evidence that its introduction wouid
meet with generous favor in Portland. In
discussing the subject with members of the
city government and other gentlemen HAVING
children in the schools, the superintendent
was encouraged to present it directly to the
attention OF the City Council and to petition
that body to make an appropriation Of $500
to establish school for manual training in
this city, -
petition was prepared and readily signed
by all to whom it was presented, often with
these remarks: 1T Is high time an effort
our hearty approval" Hon. Geo. S. Hunt
and Rev. Henry s. Burrage, ID. d.. appeared
before the committee on public instruction
OF the City Council, in favor of this appro-
prlation. The committee expressed great IA
voI towards the proposition. but as the city
appropriations had all been fixed, it was
thought best not to propose further additions
tne present year. The subject was therefore
allowed 10 lie over until the opening of the
next financial year, when it is hoped il will
receive the favorable attention which it
Ciuics.-The labor troubles freonent,v oo-
curing, the financial questions that have
arisen since the war of the rebellion. and the
many instances OF questionable legislation in
state and ma ton have suggested to thought
ful persons the. question whether or not
tne young may be educated in the public
schools preparatory to better appreciation
and performance of their duties as good cit
liens In republic. In countries where So
cial distinctions exist such instruction Ia
mainly confined to children of the governing
classes; but here where every man is a SOW.
erelgn, and every woman may soon become
such, civic instruction should manifestly be
universal.
Examinations and PromOtions.-It has
been the tendency of the action of the school
board for several years past to diminish the
number and severity of test examinations.
and in fixing the classification of pupils to
rely more than formerly upon the age of the
children, and upon the Judgment of their
,eachers as to fitness for promotion. The
monthly tests for promotion formerly i'm
rogue ceased In 1884 by vote of the board.
md the daily marking of Rotations much
earlier than this. Since then tests have been
given in the high and grammar schools only
)nce in two months; in the first and second
primary schools, the fifth and sixth wears i'm
school, when children are 10 to II years old.
only twice year as rule. Below these
grades no formal tests have ever been given.
The present year the tests for promotion
have been still further diminished. and ara
20 be only hereafter given in October, Feb
ruary and June; 1.-THE December and April
,ests being withdrawn. While fitness In
studies will, no doubt, long remain the prin-
,ipal basis on which promotions will be
made, yet in graded schools age is by no
means to be overlooked in classification
This recognition of age in promotions was
adopted by rule earlier in the Portland
schools than in any other system of schools
70 far as can be observed.
TEACHERS.